Description: This ‘bark-pimple’ lichen grows exclusively on birch. There is no visible thallus so the tiny, black, spherical discs (0.3-0.5mm diam.) show up as black dots on the bark often with a faint, dark shadow below the disc. From above the discs (perithecia) appear oval. The spores are colourless, curved and one-septate (25-35 x 2-4&

371;m). Scattered; Northern and western Ireland.

Key Identification Features:

• Grows only on birch bark; discs are black perithecia which dot the bark as tiny ovals
• Thallus absent; spores colourless, curved, one-septate when mature.

Original text submitted by Vince J. Giavarini

Distribution Map from NBN: Leptorhaphis epidermidis at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Leptorhaphis epidermidis at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.